


Back Roads Pt 2

by MillieWinchester84



Series: Back Roads Adventures [2]
Category: Supernatural
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-15
Updated: 2016-09-15
Packaged: 2018-08-15 03:02:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8039908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MillieWinchester84/pseuds/MillieWinchester84
Summary: ...and the adventure continues.  This is a laid back part.  Some action, but not heavy.  There will be more action in later parts.  ENJOY!





	Back Roads Pt 2

Sam and Dean stand there looking at Cas. Obviously something is up, but they don’t know what. They were just glad to have the three women sleeping in the motel room safe again. They’ll be safer when they can get to the bunker, but this will do for now. Cas stands there looking at them for a moment.

“What is it Cas?” Sam finally asks when it’s clear the angel is not going to be forthcoming without acknowledgment.

“Let’s sit.” He says looking at the sleeping women one more time before he goes and pulls out a chair. His friends follow suit. “You never mentioned how you met them.” He begins.

“Who? Them?” Dean indicates the beds with his head. “Um, well we just met Sissy. That’s the one in the light blue capris and tank there. We met her just a couple nights ago. Miranda and Summer (he indicates each with a point as Miranda is wearing a gray tank and shorts and Summer is wearing black pants and a black tank) we met a couple years back. We were hunting a Djinn and found them in the abandoned house. They had somehow pulled themselves from the sleep and the Djinn was right there trying to induce it again. Took them to the hospital. They were an intricate part of the kill actually. The Djinn came back for them which I’ve never seen before. Put the whole hospital in some kind of sleep, except for them. They locked themselves in an utility closet and held it off till we got there. That thing was strong too Cas. I’ve never fought a Djinn like that before. I don’t think Sam has either.” Sam shakes his head no. “Best we can guess is that it was the alpha or it was close to it.”

“That makes sense.” Cas says to himself.

“What makes sense?” Sam and Dean ask in unison both sounding confused.

Cas looks up at the brothers. Sam has perched on the arm of the couch. Dean is standing with his back to the wall and arms crossed. Cas leans forward putting his elbows on his knees. “The Djinn…it was one that fed directly on blood and not on the psyche, correct?”

“Yeah. It was like the one who had Dean those years back.” Sam answers.

“It wasn’t an alpha. It was strong because of them.” He turns his head to look at the women who haven’t even shifted in their sleep.

“Come again.” Dean says mid rub of his nose.

Cas doesn’t immediately turn his attention back to him. “It was them. You don’t know what you’ve come across. The Djinn likely didn’t either. The vampires did. At least the two that led the nest did.” Sam and Dean both look blank. “Nephilim. You found what is left of the Nephilim line.”

Sam shakes his head. “As in half angel, half human Nephilim?” Cas nods. “I thought angels wanted to destroy them because they are abominations and that kind of thing.” He now fears for the women again, even though Cas’ body language suggests that he cares for them instead of hates them.

“Human lore is skewed on that. There was only one angel who sought to destroy them and we thought he had succeeded. Some angels began to believe the blasphemy that spewed from his lips and joined him in seeking them out and destroying them. Since I was young myself it was thought that they were all gone.”

Dean scratches his head. “So the angel squad doesn’t hate Nephilim?  And what angel wanted to destroy them?”

“Lucifer."  Cas nearly spits it out.  "No. We don’t hate Nephilim. Do you know what their purpose was…is?” Cas corrects himself. Both Winchesters shake their heads. “They are how angels reproduce. The lack of them is why our numbers are falling and not replenishing. The lack of them and of course the lack of our Father.”

“How do they replenish the ranks?” Sam asks legitimately curious.

“Eventually those three young ladies will be angels. They have a small amount of grace inside them that grows slowly. It’s very tiny right now, but I can see it. The vampires and other creatures who feed on blood can either smell or sense it. They seek it out.” Cas explains.

Sam has that wide eyed, I’m-learning-something look. “So they’re like a magnet for monsters?”

“Essentially.”

Dean groans. That’s just what they need. “You latch on to that of all things Sam? How about the fact that they are turning into angels? What all does that entail exactly?” Dean asks.

“I am not sure there is time to explain everything it entails. The process will take longer than your natural lifespan.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

“So they’re like…immortal?”

“At this point in time they can die just like any human Dean. They require protection. A lot of it. They need someone to take care of them.”

“Looked to me like they did a pretty damn good job of taking care of themselves Cas. They got themselves out of that nest which made it a lot easier for us to help. Frankly guys, I didn’t know how we were going to get in there. Vamps on their home turf? That many of them? And all those humans?” Dean points out.

“How far would they have gotten if we weren't there? They were in no condition to fight to defend themselves and they would have been recaptured by angry vampires. How do you think that would have turned out for them?” Cas sounds angry, but his face has remained neutral with the exception of a spark of grace in his eyes.

Dean shrinks back from it. It’s uncharacteristic of Dean to shrink back from anything, but Sam can’t blame him in that moment. Sam found himself trying to shrink down a size or two. Out of the three of them Cas is the smallest, but they also recognize he is the most powerful. Dean may run their rag tag pack of hunters with Sam as his second in command, but that is only because of their experience. There is a vampire among their pack as well that could take Sam or Dean’s head off just as easily as they could take his…if not easier. There are also prophets among their ranks. An older hunter too who was ready to hand over the reigns. This is the Cas that they first met sitting before them…not the socially awkward one they have been accustomed to looking for their guidance among the human world. Not that they are actually human, but still.

“S-sorry Cas. I didn’t mean to…”

“I’m not upset with you Dean. I’m upset with…circumstances.” Cas turns his head looking at the sleeping forms again. “I understand humanity much more than I once did, thanks to you two and losing my grace for that period of time, and they don’t know what they are. My brethren are going to expect a lot from them and it’s not fair. It’s like asking a single person to carry the weight of the world alone.” He looks back at his friends. “Unfortunately both of you can relate.”

That has both Winchesters huffing a laugh.

“Technically speaking, you can relate too.” Sam tells him. His and Dean’s body language have relaxed again. “I mean the fate of Heaven riding on you alone? That’s pretty big.”

“They are going to learn that the fate of the existence of angels lies with them.”

That sobers up Sam and Dean’s thoughts.

“There has been a lot of conflict over the last almost decade and a half. Much more than in the past. It has damaged the numbers. Demons are, as you would say, a dime a dozen. Torture a soul for some period of time and it turns. Angels are not so easy to create. It takes time. Even Father can’t just make an angel from thin air. Recreate an existing angel who was destroyed, yes, but only if it hasn’t been too long. Grace takes time to grow and develop.”

“That’s what’s happening with them?” Dean asks.

Cas nods. “They are nurturing new grace. It needs them and they need it. Rip either apart from the other and they both parish.”

 _That put’s things into perspective_ Dean thinks. “So they literally can’t live without the grace and the grace will snuff out without them?” He asks just for the sake of clarity.

“That is correct Dean.”

“There are those out there that would seek to use a spell to take the grace and then use the grace in a more powerful spell before it fades out. The death of them nor the grace is immediate.”

“So, it’s like what happened with you? When you had the stolen grace?”

“Similar. Yes. They would get weaker and weaker and sicker and sicker until they die. I will not allow that to happen.”

“Metatron isn’t a threat anymore in that department, right? I mean he’s stuck as human with his grace locked away in Heaven.”

“He still knows how to perform the spells, but I doubt he will seek them out. He believes he killed the last semblance of a Nephilim when he killed that innocent girl. The truth is, she wasn’t a true Nephilim. She only possessed the amount of grace a vessel is left with when an angel vacates from using them. It was enough for the spell, but barely.”

There is a shifting on one of the beds which has Cas looking over. Sissy has turned over to face Miranda. She’s still sound asleep. Cas walks over to where they sleep and brushes hair from her face. Where Cas is usually awkward, he seems comfortable now. It’s an interesting juxtaposition to the personality Sam and Dean are usually privy to. Watching him as he tenderly looks over each one of them without disturbing their sleep is nice. Just don’t expect either of them to ever admit that out loud.

All of them jump when there is a knock on the door. Cas’ angel blade descends from the long sleeve shirt he’s wearing. Dean and Sam both grab their guns. Dean’s was next to him on the table. Sam’s was in his open bag at his feet. Dean holds his hand up to Cas who was going to get closer to the door. Summer makes a sound and he leans down, keeping his eyes on the door, and says something that none of the rest of them can hear to her and she settles. He rises back up looking defensive as Dean reaches the door and looks out the peep hole. He relaxes and reaches back putting his gun down by his side.

“It’s Benny.” He says opening the door.

There stands the big guy with a burly build and crystal blue eyes. His hair is a little damp from where it has begun raining lightly. He has on a t-shirt and jeans. Everyday guy. “May I?” He asks Dean who is still standing in the door.

“Yeah. Sorry. Come on in.”

Benny walks in and sees the postures of Sam and Cas. He sees the sleeping women. Cas doesn’t move from his position and he doesn’t take his eyes off the big man. Benny raises his hands. “Not here to cause a problem.” He tells him.

“Nobody said you were.” Sam lowers his gun and puts it on the table.

“What are you doing here?” Dean asks curiously.

“Got everything cleaned up. You need to know we didn’t find the leader or his mate. They weren’t in the bodies.”

“How the hell did that happen?” Dean sounds irritated.

Miranda shifts on the bed this time and lets out a distressed noise at the tone. Cas kneels down and puts arms around her. She settles a minute later still thankfully asleep. “Dean.” Cas says.

Dean feels guilty. “Sorry.” His voice is much softer.

“I don’t know how it happened.” Benny says with his hands up and a shrug. “They either weren’t killed or they were torn apart too much to be identified.”

That drew Dean’s attention back. “You came all the way out here to give me a report you could have done over the phone?” Dean questions. He isn’t being cross with Benny because they are good buddies, but that news wasn’t good and he’s concerned about his friends…and that is how he views them...as friends. He can tell they are tough. He has no doubt about that, but Cas had a point. What would have happened if they hadn’t have been there and the girls hadn’t headed straight for them?

Benny drops his head. “I thought I’d offer some extra protection. Take a room next door. Not knowing where the two nest leaders are and all.”

“Benny, if you want to help all you ever have to do is say so.” Sam is quick to tell him and Dean nods along.

“Absolutely. The room on that side has a connecting door if you can get it.” Dean says indicating behind him.

He keeps his head down. “I do apologize Castiel.” He says looking over. Cas tilts his head to the side in that confused gesture. “My presence makes you uncomfortable because it was my kind that harmed them. I’ll keep my distance. I just wanted to be near…just in case.”

Cas’ stance drops as though he hadn’t realized he had still been in such a defensive posture. “The only kind you have Benny are us.  Hunters. I don’t associate you with those who sought to harm the innocents. You do not make me uncomfortable. You have not for some time.”

Benny smiles a little and nods. “Thank you. I’m going to go see about that room. Charlie and Chuck may come by in a little while.”

“Tell them to go to your room and Sam and I will meet them there. I don’t want too much going on in here. Should they wake up, I don’t want them overwhelmed. We’ll fill Cas in.” Dean tells him.

“Of course. I’ll shoot over a text…if I can figure out this new phone.” The last part is grumbled. Cas quirks a smile and Sam huffs a laugh at that. Benny and new technology don’t mix well most of the time and Charlie recently insisted that they all update their phones. Kevin was relieved when everyone went with the same brand because it made his life easier when trying to send out warnings and hunt information. The less complication the better for them. Benny lets himself out and Dean goes and gets a seat rubbing at his head tired.

“You should sleep.” Cas says to Dean, but it’s directed at Sam too.

“There is still…”

“If you don’t sleep how are you to lead anyone or anything? How are you to drive us back to the bunker when they are able? You won’t allow me to drive your car although I’ve proven I can drive proficiently.”

“Cas, Dean hardly ever lets me drive the car. Only when he is exhausted and we are driving for more than twenty hours. So don’t take offense to not being able to drive the car.”

“I do not take offense. I just think it would be more efficient if all three of us drove.”

“Driving calms me. I think best when behind the wheel of my Baby.” Dean yawns. “Actually what’s efficient is you angel poofing us from one place to another.”

“Angel poofing?“

“Shut up Sam.”

“Catch your four Dean. You can have the couch.” Sam tells him as he pulls out his laptop. “If Charlie and Chuck get here and they need you I’ll wake you up. They’re probably just concerned like Benny.”

“Probably so.” Dean agrees. He goes and sits down on the couch. He’s asleep before he realizes.

Cas sits on the side of the bed next to Summer. Sam sits at the table and starts his usual searches. He realizes they are not going to be taking hunts as usual until the rest of this if figured out, but it’s a habit and routine and a calming action. Research for him is what driving does for Dean. Sam can get his thoughts together best when he is on the search even if it’s not what he’s searching that he is thinking about.

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Miranda slowly comes back to consciousness. She is getting tired of that considering she doesn’t remember going to sleep. As she wakes up the memories of the night before start coming back to her. Getting out of the vampire nest, going through the woods barefoot…and ow…, and running into the wolves that are bigger than any she has ever seen before. Then the realization that the two standing in the front were in fact Sam and Dean Winchester. Miranda nearly giggles again at the memory of Sam sitting back on his haunches and looking like one giant puppy with his tongue lolling out. There was that solid black wolf that nudged them back to the darkish brown one and the circle of wolves protecting them. She remembers specifically not being able to stand up anymore and another warm body helping to hold her up. Being swept into arms and then…nothing. There was the feeling of being safe even though she’s pretty sure it was the guy she hadn’t met yet, but identified as the black wolf that had picked her up. Now she feels warm and there is a warmth next to her so she knows someone is lying there. Ever so slowly she opens her eyes. She was still half afraid she’d get that pain she had after being drugged before. Miranda is also reluctant to move remembering that feeling after being drained of blood. Everything hurt. She swears even her hair hurt and that isn’t even possible. Slowly turning to her side she realizes that she is stiff and a little sore, but nothing like she was before. She finds that Sissy is lying there facing her and then past her she sees the man with the dark hair and sapphire blue eyes. He’s reading something that looks old.

“You’re that black wolf.” Miranda says keeping her voice soft. She doesn’t want to disturb Sissy or Summer who she can see beyond the man.

He looks up with soft eyes. “Yes. My name is Castiel. My friends call me Cas.”

“Castiel. As in the angel?” Miranda carefully starts to sit up. He drops the book and comes around the bed and to her quickly and gracefully aiding her in sitting up. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. And yes. As in the angel. That would be me. It’s nice to meet you Miranda.”

“I would ask how you know my name, but I guess that’s obvious.” He smiles at her and sits next to her legs.

She observes the room and he gives her the time to do so. It’s nice. Clean as she can still smell pine scented cleaners. It’s a decent size. At least as big as the one they had before, but it’s styled completely different so it’s not the same motel. While the other one had a distinctly Midwestern feel, which Miranda had liked about it, this one is more generic. No real theme. If she had to put any label on it, it may edge toward modern. Certainly not the rooms that she remembers the Winchesters being apt to stay in before. Then there is the fact she didn’t peg them as werewolves either. That was a surprise because she thought hunters hunted werewolves. The ones that caused problems at least. Sam is over at the table and he is going to have one heck of a kink since he seems to be sleeping with one arm outstretched with his head laying on it. The laptop is open. Dean is on the couch stretched out as much as his height allows. It’s not quite an average size couch, but it’s larger than a loveseat. His wrist will feel it when he wakes up since his hand is supporting his head. It crosses her mind that the brothers may sleep in odd positions regularly. Especially on the nights they bunk in the car.

“How are you feeling?” Cas asks gently.

“Um.” She rolls her shoulders. “I’ve felt a lot worse before. A little sore and stiff. Nothing like when I woke up after Luther and Kate…fed.”

There is some fire in Cas’ eyes, but he doesn’t look angry. Not at her anyway. “That’s understandable. It is difficult on the body when blood is taken from it.” He pauses and then looks back up at her. “May I take a look at your neck?”

Miranda looks a little surprised. “Uh. Sure.” She had almost forgotten about it. Rolling her neck and shoulders around she hadn’t felt anything there. The only thing that reminded her was mentioning the fact that the vampires had fed.

Cas is gentle as he tilts her head a little and pulls hair back from her neck. He squints his eyes and gently runs a thumb across the area. He felt Miranda tense, probably in anticipation of it hurting to be touched, but there is no pain. “There is nothing but a small bruise left. I only see the one mark…”

Miranda runs her hand across the area and doesn’t feel the sore, raised skin from just hours ago. “They fed from the same spot.” _And God had that hurt!_

She’s jolted and surprised when Cas pulls her into his arms. While it feels awkward at first, it doesn’t take her long to relax into it and return the hug. He rests his chin on her head lightly. “I’m sorry you went through that.”

“We’re fine.” She responds.

Cas sits back after a moment, but keeps his hands on her shoulders. “Would you like to shower? We have your things from your room.”

“Yeah. A shower would be nice.” He gets up and helps her find her feet to be sure she’s stable. She watches as he puts her bag in the bathroom. “What did they mean by us being different? Special I think is how they worded it.”

He stops and looks at her for a second. “I’ll explain when they are awake and alert as well.”

Thoroughly confused Miranda goes in the bathroom and shuts the door. They’ve been talking quietly so they don’t disturb anyone. If she has to guess she would say that Sam and Dean haven’t been sleeping long given the positions they’re in. As she turns the water on she wonders what is going to happen now. Going back to North Carolina and carrying on doesn’t seem like a feasible option at the moment, but she doesn’t expect the brothers to put themselves out over this whole thing either. It’s going to be a long drive back home with a lot on their minds, but hey, at least there is some inspiration for writing brewing. She doesn’t think she needs to worry about these particular vampires again after the wolves attacked.

Miranda checks the temperature of the water and then gets undressed. She steps under the hot spray and feels her sore muscles relaxing the rest of the way. She doesn’t take too long before she is wetting her hair and washing it with the motel provided shampoo and conditioner. There are several bottles of it so she knows the rest of them have enough as she conditions her hair and washes herself off. The stuff smells good and she looks at the scent. It’s Paradise Rock, which doesn’t tell her much about the actual scents that are used. She rinses her hair out and then she’s done. Feels good to be showered. Getting out she dries off quickly and towel dries her hair. There is a vanity area outside the bathroom with one of those attached hair dryers. That was one thing that she forgot to pack. It was alright though because Sissy and Summer both had one. She dresses in a t-shirt with a green floral design and a pair of comfortable jean shorts. She hangs her towel back up and digs the brush from her bag. Miranda throws the bag over her shoulder and is brushing her hair as she exit’s the bathroom. There’s a little plume of steam that follows.

Sissy and Summer are both sitting up and they’re speaking softly with Cas. Glancing around the corner she sees that Dean and Sam are both still asleep. They must have been exhausted because she knew them to be super light sleepers. She’s surprised just the conversation that she and Cas had earlier hadn’t woken them. Come to think of it… _what time is it?_

“Hey.” Summer says getting up and walking over to give her a hug. “How you feeling?”

“Not all that bad actually. How are you two? You might not have been bitten, but you were still drained.”

“I’m a little tired still, but nothing like before.” Sissy confirms joining them so they are in a group hug.

Their voices are low and Cas doesn’t interrupt.

“Y’all should shower. It’ll make you feel darn near close to one hundred percent.” Miranda tells them.

“Go ahead Sissy. You go next.”

“You sure?” Sissy asks.

“Yeah. I’m still in the process of waking up.”

Sissy gives them a big squeeze and then turns around to look for her bag. She spins and then sees it as Cas is grabbing it and handing it to her. “Thanks.” She tells him. The guy is a little weird, but she’s warmed up to him quickly. Sissy disappears in the bathroom and a minute or two later they hear the shower start up.

Summer and Miranda sit on one bed cross legged. Miranda yawns. She is about like Sissy and is still tired, but nothing like earlier. She brushes her hair ever so often as they are speaking softly to keep it from drying with any kinks until she can get to a dryer.

Much like Miranda, Sissy finds herself thinking about what happened. Given her lack of knowledge she’s having a tougher time processing all of this. Vampires? Really? Then there were the wolves that are potentially the three guys that she’s woken up in a different motel room with. Cas had explained that they are in the next larger city over and that they were all passed out from a combination of blood loss, stress, and physical exertion the entire time. They were checked over for injuries and then just allowed to rest and not disturbed further. She’s fine with all that. It weirds her out some that she has been moved around while unconscious twice now. There is a feeling of violation from having blood drained while she was vulnerable as well, but that wasn’t any of these people. Sissy is wondering just how much more about this stuff her friends know. She watched Miranda pick locks which was a skill she didn’t know she had. Now Sissy is curious what else she might be capable of and Summer too. She is by no means angry. If she was to tell them something like this she would be afraid they would think she was nuts and call the men in the white coats. The evidence is right in front of her though. She can’t ignore what she saw. The thing bothering her more than anything else though was watching that bastard use them against Miranda. He had threatened them and then Miranda stopped fighting to protect them. That was not cool. She would have had the same response and she’s certain Summer would have too, but being the ones used against their friend and then finding out that she was bitten and drained…and unlike her and Summer…consciously aware of it is rubbing her the wrong way. Now that she’s feeling better she wants to get her hands on that bastard and his chick. She starts washing her hair and notices the scent like Miranda did. Of course the little bottles don’t say anything more specific than ‘fragrance’ when she looks to see what scents were used. *Helpful* and she washes off quickly after that. Miranda was right. She feels pretty darn close to one hundred percent. More so than she expected. Still tired, but Sissy suspects that would be the last side effect to wear off. Passed out isn’t exactly sleep either so she isn’t sure how much sleep they have actually had. She gets dried off and dressed. She wraps her hair in the towel for now. She wants to get out of Summer’s way so she can get freshened up. That felt really good. Curious she looks at the crook of her arm where there was a bruise last night. A nasty looking one. Now the skin is completely unmarred. Now that is weird.

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

He opens his eyes to the sound of talking and movement. Then he realizes that he hears the shower on too. On the couch with his wrist bent and hand supporting his head he has to move slowly. His wrist pops loudly and the talking behind him stops. He has to roll and pop his neck before he can sit up and turn around to look. Cas is showing Miranda…dressed and hair damp…and Summer…still in her pajamas, but looking as though she’s been awake for a little bit something in the book Dean had noticed he was reading as of late. He gets a smile from the girls and Cas’ usual bland look.

“Good morning.” Summer says pushing hair behind her shoulder.

Dean tries to do more than grunt. “Morning.” Of course he fell asleep propped up on his already bad shoulder that’s been popped out of joint he doesn’t even know how many times now. His left shoulder catches it.

He happens to look over and see his brother asleep at the table and takes the couple steps to put a hand on his shoulder. As expected Sam jumps and Dean catches the arm that swings in his direction.

“Easy Sammy. Rise and shine.” Dean says.

Sam clears his throat. “Um…morning Dean.” He wipes the side of his mouth. “Ew.”

“Nice dream?” Dean picks and Sam swings out again this time lightly catching Dean in the ribs.

“I don’t know what I dreamed if anything.” Sam does answer though. He pushes hair back from his face and notices that they are being observed. Even Cas is smirking. “Hey. How are y’all?”

“Other than tired a lot better.” Summer answers. “Your shoulder bothering you?” She asks looking at Dean.

“That shoulder always bothers him. I’ve healed it several times, but he keeps injuring it.”

“You should let Mands here work on it. I swear she has magic hands.” She grins at Miranda’s blush when Dean’s piercing green eyes went back to her.

Dean notices and smirks. “That so?”

Miranda recovers nicely before Sam or Cas can say anything. “Come on over and have a seat honey and I’ll show you.”

That smirk turns surprised as he watches Miranda get up on her knees and pat the spot at the end of the bed in front of her. All three of them are definitely women who would be on Dean’s radar, which Sam and Cas have been aware of, but they also registered as innocent with him so he never thought in that direction. He just thought his ability to make all three of them turn a little pink was adorable. What he sees before him is sultry and Summer adds right to it sitting next to her and wrapping an arm around her waist and giving him a seductive ‘come hither’ look to match Miranda’s. He finds himself swallowing hard. The spell is broken when Sam can’t hold in a laugh and makes an explosive sound and then Cas is actually laughing too. Miranda and Summer are set off right behind them and Summer rolls on the bed holding her stomach. Miranda has to sit back on her heels.

That’s when Sissy comes out of the bathroom. “What did I miss?” She asks confused.

Sam can’t talk, Dean thinks he forgot how, but he’s laughing now too, and Miranda and Summer are wiping tears of laughter at this point. Cas has better control of himself. “I believe that it’s called Dean just got some of his own medicine.”

Sissy still looks confused.

“Dean thought it would be cute to make Miranda blush a little harder and she turned it back on him.” Cas explains.

“Oh hell yeah she can be a minx when she wants to be.”

“I’m sure you all can.” Dean says now the one who has turned pink.

Miranda gets herself fully under control while Summer gets up to go take her shower after getting her bag. Sissy has put on a pair of shorts and a flutter sleeve tee in red. She unwraps her hair and starts brushing her it out. Miranda is still yet to dry hers. “Seriously…come sit. I’ll see what I can do with that shoulder.” All the innocence that Dean and Sam saw in them before is back.

“Yeah. Totally let her work on it. She has magic fingers.”

Miranda ducks her head hiding a smirk. Dean rolls his eyes and comes and takes a seat in front of her. “Just relax.” Miranda tells him. She rubs her hands together so they aren’t cold. One hand then goes in the collar of his loose tee to his shoulder and the other up the sleeve to get to the bare skin.

Dean is surprised at how warm her hands are. It’s nice and instantly some of the tenseness in his ever problematic shoulder lessens. Then her fringes start pressing in just the right places and he lets out a happy groan. Sam raises an eyebrow at him. Dean doesn’t see it because his head has dropped forward. Sissy smiles, but there is a look of pure concentration on Miranda’s face.

“God that feels good.” Dean says.

“Dean…”

“My bad Cas.”

Miranda smiles and then she has that concentration face again. “Did you ram your shoulder into anything recently?” She asks feeling around a specific spot more than others.

“Ghost slammed me into a tree root two days ago…”

“Ghost?” Sissy asks.

“Vengeful spirit is more accurate.” Sam says absently. “Just because it’s a ghost doesn’t mean it’s causing a problem.”

“Ooookay.” Sissy says shaking her head.

Cas huffs. “Are you hungry?” The general consensus from the room is a yes. “I know what Sam and Dean like to eat. What would you like and what does Summer like?”

“We aren’t picky. We try to eat somewhat healthy.” Sissy says.

Cas nods. “Healthy. I can do that. Anything else?”

“Coffee.” That is an answer in unison from Miranda, Dean, Sissy, Sam, and from the bathroom where Summer is. So all of them like coffee.

“I won’t be gone long.” And on the sound of a flutter of wings Cas is gone and it makes Sissy stumble in surprise because she had been right next to him.

Sam gives her a sympathetic expression. “He does that. A lot.”

“I think your shoulder is partly out. It could be a build up of scar tissue, but I’m thinking it’s popped out a little.”

“Dude! Why didn’t you say anything?” Sam asks getting up and walking over.

Dean raises his eyes, but keeps his head lowered because her hands still feel good. She’s working up from the joint closer to his neck and he didn’t even know how tight most of his muscles are. “I’m just used to it hurting all the time Sammy. It’s not like I was intentionally hiding an injury from you. We don’t do that anymore.” He groans again closing his eyes when she hit’s a particularly sore spot and gently, and yet while applying firm pressure, relieves the knot and the muscle starts to relax.

“Dean, take your shirt off.” Sam helps him being impatient to see what‘s going on with his brother. Sissy is watching quietly. “Show me what you felt.” Sam says to Miranda.

“Right here.” She guides Sam’s hand over.

He notices how warm her hands are. Being werewolves they run hotter than your average person and yet her hands are warm to him. It’s interesting, but he’s more concerned with being sure Dean is alright. He feels it immediately. “You’re right. It’s partly out. How did you know?”

Miranda has been rubbing down his shoulder blade and it has effectively distracted him from Sam’s prodding fingers that would have been hurting. “I’m trained as a masseuse. Worked at a rehabilitation center for a while. I saw and felt dislocated joints on occasion. I got bored with that job and went to work for the paper. The rest is now history I guess.”

“That explains how you know what you’re doing.” Dean mumbles.

“Told ya she has magic fingers.” Sissy says. “She’s helped me and Summer out a few times. I tweaked my knee soccer at a backyard BBQ. Summer hurt her back in a minor car accident. Still flares up from time to time and she can make it better fast.”

“You are not wrong. Sam you have got to let her work on you sometime.”

“If she wants to. Right now I need to get your shoulder back in place.”

This time when Dean groans it is not a happy sound. They’ve had to do this a lot and it hurts like a son of a bitch every time. He stands up and puts his right hand down on the bed leaning over.

“Hang on.” Sissy says walking over. Both brothers look at her. Sam’s hands already in place. She puts her hand on Dean’s lower back and then looks at Sam.

“Uh, he has a tendency to want to hit something right after I pop it back in…”

“Just trust me. Please.”

There is a light tingling sensation where her hand is on his back and he looks over his injured shoulder toward Sam as best he can. “Just trust her.” He says and again tries to brace himself for this even though he needs to not tense up. Sam does his countdown thing and actually goes on three this time which is rare and…there is a popping sound, but no pain. _Um._ Sissy removes her hand and Sam is looking at him confused. She rolls her left shoulder and steps away. “What just happened?”

“We all have our gifts. There are certain spots on the body that can negate the pain response from the brain. You just have to know which ones help which areas at what times.”

“Huh.” Sam and Dean say at the same time.

It’s then that Cas appears again. “My apologies that took so long. I went to a couple different places. Had to wait on the pastries to come out in Paris.”

“You’ve been to Paris and back in…ten minutes?” Sissy asks looking at the clock on the wall.

“Angel.” Sam says. “They fly fast. Or ‘angel poof’ as Dean says.”

“Uh huh. Anyone ever going to explain this ‘special’ thing to us?” Sissy asks.

“When Summer is in here too. Come eat.” Cas says. He’s handing out a coffee to everyone. He has it made the way he knows Sam likes his and Dean takes his black. He put light cream and sugar in the girls’ remembering after he got there that he hadn’t asked how they took their coffee. It seems that they are happy with it.

“Caffeine is awesome.” Miranda comments which has Dean nearly spitting his out and choking on a laugh.

“What?” She asks.

Sam answers. “You sound like Dean.”

Miranda grins and sits at the table across from where Sam has settled himself back down. Sissy pulls up a chair and joins them. Dean grabs something from the bag. Cas sits out eggs and sausage and fruit and some good smelling pastries for them to choose from and hands Sam a ready made parfait of fruit and yogurt. Somewhere along the way Cas has gotten paper plates and utensils and starts making plates for Miranda and Sissy. They don’t say anything since he was nice enough to fly and get the stuff in the first place, but they feel a little babied. By the look on Sam’s face he finds it odd too, but doesn’t say anything.

“Thanks.” Sissy says when Cas puts a plate in front of her. Half of her coffee is gone already.

“No need to thank me.” However, he does smile.

Summer is in the shower and the scent of coffee and breakfast hits her. She’s been somewhat daydreaming. Her mind has wandered to the book she needs to start writing when she gets back. She cuts her shower and thoughts on that short at the smell of food and caffeine though. Maybe the coffee will chase away this lingering tiredness. Summer was purposely not thinking of what happened on that abandoned farm. It makes her simultaneously scared and pissed off and it’s an odd combination of emotions. She dries quickly and puts on a spaghetti strap black tank and soft shorts that so happen to be a dark green. That’s what was on top in her bag. She brushes her hair out and hangs her towel back up. Then she’s out of the bathroom and following her nose. Summer nearly runs head on into Cas who is just around the corner with a plate of food and a cup of coffee in his hand. “Thanks.” She says taking it from him.

Sam stands up from the table with his parfait in hand. “You can sit here.” He tells her and shifts to sit on the couch where Dean had finally parked himself too.

“Find any hunts Sam?” Miranda asks nodding toward the computer.

He swallows the bite of fruit he was chewing. “Not really. It’s quiet. There’s what might be a Rugaru over in California…” Cas clears his throat with a glare at Sam. “…but I think someone is already on it.”

Miranda turns and looks at Cas raising an eyebrow.

“You shouldn’t be concerned with those things.” He says as though that’s explanation.

Miranda and Sissy narrow their eyes at him, but don’t say anything. Summer didn’t seem to be paying much attention at that particular moment.

“So, why are we special?” Sissy asks instead.

Cas sits down to explain what they are, about the history of their families, and what makes them special to monsters that feed on blood. Specific Djinn like attacked two of them before and vampires. Sam and Dean notice he leaves out the purpose of Nephilim and doesn’t mention that they will eventually be full on angels. They assume that Cas doesn’t want to overwhelm them because just finding out that they are part angel already probably takes a lot of processing. This is not the world they are familiar with as the brothers who literally grew up in it.

“So…Nephilim. We have an angel father out there somewhere?”

“Um…the three of you are particularly special. You don’t have angel parents directly…it passed through your bloodline, your biological bloodlines…but your three families are the only ones left. I think you’re the only ones left at all. Your biological bloodlines are descended from archangels specifically. The strength of the grace in your bloodline is the only thing that I believe hid you from Lucifer.”

“Lucifer? That’s who tried to wipe out Nephilim?” Summer asks.

“Yes. He tried. Thankfully he did not succeed. I hope you can understand my protectiveness. It’s…instinctive.”

“Is that where the babying us comes from?” Summer asks.

Cas ducks his head at that question. “Some of it. Yes.”

“Some?” Miranda asks. “By the way, this is all really good.”

“I’m pleased you like it.” Cas legitimately smiles. “It’s mostly instinct for any of us angels not effected still by Lucifer’s old propaganda before he fell. The ones who went with Lucifer to destroy Nephilim had to fight instincts that tell us to protect you. Those like you. The best way I can explain it is that to an angel you are like…a child in our eyes. In human years you are women and I, having been human, am capable of seeing that side too so I’m holding back my instinct to nurture as much as I can. I am not capable of holding it all back. I, and other angels, are capable of seeing your souls. You have very young, very bright, very pure souls.”

“Is that how you identify everyone? By their soul?” Summer is legitimately curious.

“Angels and demons see it like an overlay. I can see your face. I could describe to anyone who asked in great detail what you look like. However, I could also describe your soul in the same way. It has a specific pattern to it that is as individual as…as…”

“A fingerprint?” Sissy provides.

“Yes. As individual as a fingerprint. There is a pattern and a movement and a specific light to your soul that no other individual will ever possess and has never possessed before.”

“You’ve never told us this before Cas.” Dean says having finished whatever was in his wrapper and getting up to put it in the trash can.

Cas looks over to him from where he has stood near the table with his back to the wall. “You’ve never been comfortable discussing souls before. You’ve never been comfortable knowing what I saw when I went down and pulled you out of hell. Sam has equally never wanted to talk about his soul and I understand why in his case. In your case I never understood. Still I do not.”

“You were in hell?” Miranda asks.

“Long story, but yeah. Don’t ever go to a cross roads demon for anything. You’ll learn that in the end it’s not the right thing to do.” Sam cocks his head looking at his big brother. “I don’t regret saving Sam’s life. I will never regret saving my brother. The thing that made me realize I was wrong is that I broke the first seal that started the apocalypse. People can try and blame it on Sam all they want for killing Lilith and all that shit, but I was the one who broke in hell and started the damn apocalypse and then Sam threw himself into the cage with Lucifer and Michael to end it. Sammy cleaned up my mess and it should never be that way. So point being…never go to a cross roads demon. It’ll screw you in the end.”

“Dean. I don’t…”

“I know you don’t blame me. I blame me though. I always have. Just like it’s my fault dad is dead.”

“What happened with your dad?” Summer asks.

Sam is the one to answer. “We have always suspected that he traded his life in a deal with the demon who killed our mother to save Dean’s life. There was never any proof of that as no demons would ever talk or they were just too low level to know. It’s a safe bet though. It’s also a safe bet that dad was the one who was meant to break that seal and they couldn’t make him break.”

That doesn’t help Dean at all right now and Summer sees it. She can feel it. She stands up and walks to him and sits by him on the couch where he returned. She has to squish between the big guys a bit and Sam scoots his butt as far to the arm as he can. She takes Dean’s hand. “Look at me.” She tells him gently. He does and his green eyes are full of pain that he keeps locked behind them. Dean isn’t even sure why he’s admitted any of this now because he hasn’t before. Not even to himself exactly. Miranda and Sissy watch and they don’t see Cas narrow his eyes. “It sounds to me like what happened to your brother and your father was ultimately their decision.” She continues before Dean can protest. “In the end it was THEIR decision. You couldn’t change their minds if you tried. As far as what happened to you in hell, you breaking…how long did that take? I’m guessing a while.”

“Four months in our time. In hell time Dean was there for forty years. It took thirty for him to break.” Sam answers in a voice that hold reverence in it.” Sam looks up at his brother. “I never told you Dean, but they had me promising them anything they wanted in a day. Probably less. Just to make it stop. They didn’t stop, but I would have done anything.”

“That was the cage Sammy. That was different.”

“How?”

“Dean.” Summer says drawing his attention back to her. “Listen to me right now. You are going to stop blaming yourself for those things. Your brother is here. The world is here and spinning. You are still fighting evil. You’ve saved us. The good that you’ve done in this world outweighs anything you perceive as bad.”

Looking into her eyes he can feel the burden…at least some of it…literally lifting from his shoulders. Her eyes have a shine or a glow to them and he can’t pull his away. He’s transfixed. Her hands feel warm around his. Like Miranda’s had felt on his shoulder and his tense muscles.

Sam looks confused a little and looks back over his left side to Cas and notices the angel put his hand up as though he’s looking at something too bright. Sam has never seen any light be too bright for their angel friend to look at. Sam looks back at Summer and Dean and he sees Dean blink like he’s coming out of a trance. He seems shocked. His mouth is open like he wants to say something, but he doesn’t know what. His hand is locked tightly around Summer’s and he isn’t letting go yet.

“Are you alright?” Summer asks softly.

“I..Wh…um.”

“It’s alright Dean. I’m good at making people feel better. I can calm people down or cheer people up. I can ease guilt, but only in cases where the guilt is not justified.”

“So it’s true.” Cas says stepping closer and he puts a hand on Sissy’s shoulder as she is sitting closest to him.

“What’s true?” She tips her head back to look up at him.

“I need to look into it further before I share. It’s been a long time since I studied the texts. I will share soon what I believe to be true. I had my suspicions from the start.”

Dean seems to have recovered and realizes how hard he is clenching Summer’s hand and consciously loosens his grip. He goes to say he’s sorry, but she shakes her head at him and keeps a gently hold grounding him sensing that’s what he needs in this moment. Miranda leans back in her seat draining the last of her coffee from her cup. “Anyone ever tell you you’re cryptic?” She asks Cas.

That brings Dean the rest of the way back to himself. His new…lighter…self. Try as he might, he can’t blame himself for that stuff anymore. *Huh.* He huffs a laugh at Miranda though at Cas’ expense. “One of the things I used to say a lot was ‘cryptic much?’ after he would poof off after saying something just like that.”

“Fitting.” Sissy comments and eats some more fruit.

“One thing you will learn about angels…they overwhelming lack social skills.” Dean tells her.

“I do not intend for them to meet any more angels. At least not for some time. There are still those who follow the propaganda of Lucifer even after he fell who did not fall themselves. There has been much turmoil in heaven that I have done my best to right. There is a division and there are those on both sides working for the other side. I’m not trusting of all those around me, including those who work closest to me.”

“Did you just admit there are double agents among the angel ranks?” Sam asks turning to look at Cas better.

“Where do you think humans learned the concept Sam.”

“Oh….Ooooo. He got you good.” Sissy says. It makes Cas crack a rare full smile. Obviously he’s pleased that he pleased one of the women and then it has everyone laughing, including Sam.

Dean’s phone beeps alerting a text message. He reaches in his pocket and pulls it out almost needing to wipe tears from laughing so hard because…Cas just doesn’t get people with come backs like that and Sissy made it all the better. That initial shocked expression on Sam’s face was priceless too.

BENNY: When and where do you want to meet?

“Crap.” Dean says under his breath. He had totally forgotten about the fact that he needed to meet with Benny and that Charlie and Chuck were supposed to be coming by last night. It slipped his mind altogether and yet this is the only message on his phone, there are no missed calls, and he’d have been aware if someone knocked on the door. If by some odd chance he and Sam didn’t hear the door, Cas doesn’t sleep and as defensive as the angel is over these women Cas would have known. “I forgot we were supposed to meet with Benny, Chuck, and Charlie.”

“Oh crap.” Sam echoes. “We decided not to do it in here and I sat down to do some research and…I woke up.”

“You two go over. I’m staying here with them.” Cas says.

“You need to hear what’s going on too. We need to make a game plan. We’re still a ways out from the bunker Cas.” Sam points out.

“Why not just have the get together in here?” Summer asks. “If you don’t want us involved in it we can occupy ourselves.”

“It’s not that we don’t want you involved.” Dean says. “I mean it’s probably a good idea if you are there to hear what’s happening since it revolves around you three. The concern last night was overwhelming you. You’ve gotten a lot of information fast and that was traumatic and you weren’t doing well last night. It wouldn’t have been a good idea for you to wake up to unfamiliar faces should you have woken up last night.”

“They don’t need to hear some of the things…”

“Cas. Your instinct is to nurture and shield. You can’t shield from everything. They’ve already been directly exposed to some of what is out there. There is nothing that we are going to discuss in this meeting that is going to be shocking.” Dean tells him firmly. “They have a right to make decisions here. It’s their lives.”

“It’s the survival of the angel species.” Cas says adamantly and then quickly clenches his jaw shut.

“What do you mean?” Miranda narrows her eyes at him. Cas opens his mouth and then looks away closing it again. “You aren’t telling us something.”

Dean looks dead on in Cas’ eyes. “Tell them.”

“Now is not the time.”

“Tell them or I will.”

Cas is across the space and has Dean jacked up faster than any of their eyes could track which startles especially Summer, Miranda, and Sissy. They shrink back from Cas’ display of angelic power and fierceness in his face. Dean looks surprised, but with everything he and Sam have faced in their lives and been through with Cas, he’s not outright scared. Sam can feel that all three women are scared. He can literally smell it. He gets up from the couch, gets Summer, and goes over to the other two and wraps them all in his arms. He has their heads tucked to his chest trying to soothe them. An angry angel is a force to be reckoned with and this is not even a seriously angry Castiel.

“You will do no such thing Dean Winchester.”

“Then you tell them Cas. They deserve to know the whole truth. They’ve proved they can handle it. They aren’t children no matter how you see them.” Dean counters staring Cas down just as hard as Cas is staring him down. His eyes even flash amber.

“It is my decision…”

“Cas. Dean. Stop the posturing.” Sam says in a surprisingly soft voice that still commands attention. There is a rumble through his chest that Summer, Miranda, and Sissy can feel. There may have been an actual growl there, but they aren’t sure.

Dean looks over Cas’ shoulder and Cas turns his head to see that Sam has the women with their heads protectively cradled to his chest and his arms around them. It shocks both of them to realize that they are trembling. Cas lets go of Dean and takes a couple steps back.

“I’m sorry. I forgot that Nephilim respond to angel’s anger in such a manner. I am not angry with any of you.” He drops his head feeling ashamed of his behavior in front of them since he knows better.

“I’m sorry too.” Dean says behind him. “I’m going to guess that alpha werewolf posturing doesn’t help much.”

Sam keeps them cradled to himself. “Just give them a minute.” He is glaring at his brother and friend though his voice is soft and non-threatening.

After a minute all three have settled down. None of them understand their response. It isn’t like they haven’t been present when someone gets angry at someone else…beyond angry even.

Dean’s phone alerts a text again. He looks at it.

BENNY: Everything alright chief?  
DEAN: Yeah. Sorry. Get back to you in a minute. Need to have a discussion with the girls.  
BENNY: Take your time.

Dean watches Cas as he steps closer to the girls and guides them to sit down on the couch together and he then grabs a chair and pulls it in front of them. “I wanted to wait to discuss this until you had time to process being told you are Nephilim. I suppose it’s best just to get it out though.” He takes a breath. Dean is walking off the situation by pacing back and forth out of their line of sight. “Nephilim have a purpose. Not just giving angels the ability to have children to nurture and raise which, believe it or not, is an instinct and a want of us all, but to replenish the number of angels. You will eventually become angels yourselves. Full angels. It will take a very long time by the way humans gage time. Longer than a couple of generations of humans or more before you have enough grace to even stay in heaven. You, your children, your children’s children and so on will all become angels such as myself.”

They are staring at him with blank expressions.

“Are you alright?” He asks of all of them.

“Uh…” Sissy says.

“So we’re turning into angels?” This is Summer.

“You are nurturing a tiny amount of grace each. It will grow on it’s own if left, but I’ll help you along. It will still take time for it to mature either way. On average a couple hundred years.”

“A couple hundred? As in 200?” Miranda asks.

“In angel years that isn’t long. I understand that in human years it seems very long. By the time you get close to one hundred years you will be an angel. A lower class, but an angel. At around two hundred you will reach maturity and become your full selves and I am suspecting that you will each be very strong angels. Just under an archangel. Your lines are strong. Very strong. You will be top angels in heaven when your time comes.”

“Won’t we look really old?”

That was Summer and she doesn’t seem disturbed. Just curious. “You will stop aging. You may have already or at least slowed down. Nephilim look young always. Twenties or early thirties in human years.”

“I don’t mean this offensively because there is definitely nothing bad about your appearance, but you look older than thirties…” Summer says in response.

“You wouldn’t offend me. Angels…specifically the ones born as such as I was…do not care about appearance. There is a difference between the type of angels you will be to what I was born as. This is a vessel. A faithful man named Jimmy Novak asked to give himself over in the service of heaven. My true form is larger than the Chrysler building and so bright it would burn your eyes out. In your cases…”

“We’re our own vessels…basically.” Miranda finishes.

“Yes. Yes exactly.” Cas beams at her.

“So we’re forever thirty one?” Sissy asks.

“You’ll age…just not physically. Its probably already rare for you to get sick?” It finishes off as a question.

They nod. Thinking about it now none of them can remember the last time they had something like the common cold much less the flu. Strange how they never thought about that considering there was a time period, when they were much younger, that they got sick often. More often than the other kids.

“The way you will age and notice is with your knowledge and skill sets. You’ll also learn to control your grace. Wield it on demand. Nephilim have always been a connection between us born as angels and the humans here on Earth. You’ll always fit in better with humans because that’s the construct you learn from your birth.”

“Wait…do y’all have like…baby angels? You said you were born as an angel…not a Nephilim…” Summer inquires.

Cas makes an ‘eh’ kind of face. “It is possible. Rare, but possible. In the beginning that is how we gained our numbers. There weren’t humans yet. It was…inconvenient. Angels, the ones born as angels, do not have a sexual identity or orientation. The…baby angels…are a culmination of two compatible angels’ grace. It is then implanted in one of the two um…parent angels. They grow the grace within themselves until it reaches maturity. It’s very difficult on an angel to possess grace that is not their own and there have been cases where the foreign grace killed the parent nurturing it. When the grace has reached maturity the grace is separated from the parent angel’s grace and it is a difficult, painful, and…well dangerous process that only very few angels have ever mastered. All but a few have perished in the wars of heaven and during the fall. So angels have stopped creating grace due to the risks. More of us died than were created so it was counter productive. Every once in a while a few give it a try as we have the instinct to want to nurture. The last time none survived. The new angels did not survive either.”

“So we really are the only option?” Miranda asks.

“Yes. The numbers of angels is now in the very low thousands. It’s getting difficult to carry out the work of heaven with so few and the new fighting isn’t helping matters. We’re losing more and more on both sides. It’s pointless.”

“Is there anything we can do to help?” Sissy asks.

Cas smiles softly at her. “At this point, no. There are still those who are loyal to Lucifer’s ideologies, but not necessarily his methods and since he has escaped the cage we haven’t been able to locate him. It’s too dangerous for any other angels to be around you yet while you’re yet so vulnerable. You’re longing to help is a comfort though. You should know that.”

“Hey Cas?” He turns to look at Sam. “Can we get Benny, Chuck, and Charlie now? We need a game plan here.”

“Oh yes. Let’s do that.” He turns back to the women. “Are you all sure you’re comfortable with more people? You should know that Benny is a hybrid…kind of like myself. He is a werewolf, but he was first a vampire. Chuck is a prophet so he sometimes gets sudden migraines when he gets a vision and it can be scary to watch when you aren’t expecting it. Charlie is the resident…um…techie I believe Dean refers to her?” Cas explains.

“If he’s with y’all then he’s fine, right?” Summer asks.

“Yes. Benny is cool. He doesn’t feed on people. He uses blood bags. And being a hybrid of werewolf and vampire he doesn’t have to feed nearly as often. Once every couple days feeds his vampire side while fresh meet feeds his wolf.” Dean explains.

“Well then it’s cool with us.” Miranda tells him.

Dean sends the text that he’s unlocking the door between Benny’s room and theirs. In just a few minutes they are all over in the room after Sam explains that Chuck is nervous in nature, Charlie is perky, and Benny is well…Benny. Introductions are short and then they make a circle around the room in which to sit. Sam and Dean notice Cas staying close to the women, but he doesn’t seem particularly defensive at least.

“Okay, so what’s the plan chief?” Benny asks Dean.

“Getting them back to the bunker is as far as I’ve thought this through. It’s the most well warded place I know of and if Cas needs to keep angels away we can do that too. Sam did some research before that allows only specific angels through. We can do that.” He explains.

This has Cas nodding and pleased.

“Um…bunker?” Sissy asks. This had not been discussed with them.

“It’s in Kansas. Part of it is underground and part is above ground. It’s where Sam and I live when we aren’t out on a hunt. Cas stays there when he doesn’t have heaven business or if he needs our help with something. Charlie stays there a good bit. There is a young guy, Kevin, who is also a prophet is there now working on something for us. Chuck stays there often enough.”

“How many prophets are there?” Miranda asks.

“Usually just one. It is uncommon…in fact I’ve never heard of it happening before…where there is more than one prophet active in the world at any one given time. They are both genuine prophets however. There are bigger issues to take care of so I haven’t thought much on it.” Cas tells her.

Miranda nods.

“Are you angel traveling them to the bunker Cas?” Charlie asks.

“No. Driving. I know it’s a distance and it would be much quicker if I did, but they do not need any undo strain on their bodies. While feeling better they are still recovering from blood loss. The grace can only fix something like that so fast. The physical wounds have healed completely, however.”

“So should we caravan this? There are potential other risks out there.” Chuck pipes up looking at the women with a gleam to his eye and a bit of wonder.

Sam grunts. “That’s probably not a bad idea. How did you guys get here?”

“Drove. I was nearby. Charlie wasn’t far off so I picked her up. Cas went and got Garth and Bobby. Benny drove in right before we met up…” Chuck explains.

“Good, so we have enough vehicles for a small convoy.” Dean comments.

“So what happens with us when we get back to the bunker?” Summer asks.

“We can discuss that later…”

“Train you to defend yourselves and we’ll teach you everything we can about the world of monsters and magic and witches and everything. The more you know and the more you can do to protect yourselves, the better.” Dean says speaking over Cas who glares at him. “Like it or not Cas, that’s what they need.”

“You can help with research too if you want. I can always use help with that. While Dean is really good at it, he hates it.” Sam says.

“What about our lives? What about our careers?” Sissy asks.

Chuck steps up. “You write from home right?” They all nod. “You can keep your book deals. You can just work from the bunker. It’s plenty big enough for you to have your spaces when you need it. It’s got a huge library of books and catalogs to go through for material. You’ll have what you need.”

Miranda looks up at him. “So we can’t go back to North Carolina? Like…ever, can we?”

“Probably not. It isn’t safe.” Cas tells her gently.

“We do have friends there. Family.”

“They can’t know where you are. Communication is going to need to be limited.” Dean tells them. “I know that’s hard to think about, but it has to be done. Trust me, staying at the bunker is going to be better than staying in one of those angel rooms where they can literally cut you off from everything and not let you out. That’s not what I want to do, hence wanting to teach you how to defend yourselves. When you go out it will have to be with me, Sam, or Cas…but you can go out.”

That thought hit’s the women hard, but as with everything else so far, they seem to take it fairly well.

“How many of you are wolves? I mean out of hunters. I thought you hunted werewolves?” Summer asks wanting to change the subject for now.

“Most hunters are werewolves actually. There are a few vampires, some shapeshifters….basically most hunters aren’t human. Some are. Sam and I were born this way because dad was scratched at some point before me. Benny is a more recent turn and it happened when he was in Purgatory. Yes, that’s a real place.”

“I didn’t know it was possible for a change to happen in there.” Benny comments. He hasn’t talked much. He’s also made it a point not to get too close to the women. Not that he is afraid he can’t control himself, but because he’s afraid they would be uncomfortable.

“I didn’t either.” Dean tells him over his shoulder.

“Okay.” Charlie says and draws everyone’s attention to her. “I have the fastest route plotted out to get to the bunker. Chuck and I will take point. Just follow us.” Dean raises an eyebrow at her. “What?” He shakes his head.

“So we good? Anything else we need to talk about?” Sam asks.

“The two lead vampires haven’t been located or identified among the remains…” Chuck says.

“Benny told us that last night. So they still weren’t found?” Dean asks.

“Garth called this morning. They can’t find them among the dead.” Chuck confirms. “The human feeders were all taken to the local ER. Most of them should be alright. A couple of them I’m not sure about. They were all told to keep their mouth shut about vampires and all that kind of thing.”

“The humans who were just working with them as lures…we found out a bunch of them were taken as children and raised there. Bobby is working with them and looking for a place to put them until they can be helped out of their current mindsets. Jody and Donna have volunteered to take them I think. Most of them are early twenties and teens.” Benny explains.

Sam stretches his back and it pops. “We saw that with the alpha vamp. Taking kids and raising them. It messes them up. Some of them can’t be helped. They’re too brainwashed.”

“Bobby, Jody, and Donna will do all they can.” Dean says. “Beyond that, well, we do what we gotta do.” There is an uncomfortable pause. Even Summer, Miranda, and Sissy know what that means. “Anything else?” Dean asks after clearing his throat.

“Um…Pam called. There was a scuffle back in Los Angeles that has caused a stir up in the locals she’s concerned about…” Benny says.

“Great.” Sam rolls his eyes. “Why did she feel the need to move out there?”

“She retired Sam. Give her a break. Hey, has anyone heard anything from Missouri lately?” Dean asks.

Everyone shakes their head no.

Cas leans over to speak quietly to the women. “Missouri is a psychic that has helped the Winchesters out a few times. John and then Sam and Dean.” He explains. “Pam that they mentioned is a psychic medium.”

  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  
It’s not but fifteen minutes later that they are all heading out. Reluctantly Cas was talked into riding with Benny behind the Impala. There is only so much room in the car and it’s a long drive. They want everyone to be as comfortable as possible. They stop for gas and restroom pit stops. Lunch and dinner is fast food. Cas refused to make a food run as he had that morning while they were so ‘exposed’ as he worded it. Benny rolled his eyes. No one else bothered to complain.

They stop at a truck stop for restroom breaks and to stretch their legs. Sam runs inside a small little twenty four hour convenience type store to get some waters and Dean wants some beer because he knows the bunker is out. The cooler that usually sits in the backseat has been moved to the trunk. Sam grabs ice while he’s in there. Cas stands outside the women’s restroom waiting for Sissy. Miranda and Summer have already been. They are stretching and walking around and it doesn’t escape any of their attention how Cas is keeping an eye on them. Benny comments to Dean who explains the situation as best he understands it. Basically Cas is acting like a parent or at the very least an older family member charged with watching out for young ones. A ball gets brought out from somewhere and Dean finds out quickly that Summer and Miranda have good throwing arms. It’s nice to just act like people. Normal people. Until there is a scream.

Cas charges into the bathroom. Chuck and Charlie grab Miranda and Summer and pull them back away from the restroom building and toward the cars. For best protection at the moment they get them in the back of Benny’s truck and stand guard. Chuck’s demeanor changes from that nervousness to a calm alertness with fiery eyes saying ‘you come near them I’ll rip you to shreds’ and there is a very similar change in Charlie. Dean, Sam, and Benny take off to the bathroom and burst in the door. They find Cas standing over a woman with his angel blade in her chest. No. There are wings. It was an angel. Cas just killed another angel. Sissy is over in the corner shaking with tears streaming down her face. Cas’ eyes are hard as steel until he looks up at her. They soften instantly and he pulls the blade and stands slowly so that she sees he isn’t a threat to her. He doesn’t move forward yet though. Instead Sam moves past them all and wraps her in his arms. Benny kneels down next to the angel with burnt wings across the expanse of the room.

“What the hell happened Cas?” Dean asks looking over at Sam and Sissy. He can hear her shushing her and telling her she’s alright.

“She had her blade out and was ready to strike Sissy down. I had no choice.” Cas explains.

“Why would she do that?” Benny asks.

“She was one that followed Lucifer’s precedent of Nephilim. She believes them to be abominations. Metatron also believes that. We tried to find all that Metatron wrote about them being evil and impure. We won’t find it all and many still view Metatron’s writings as the law of God. That isn’t the case, but they have been taught that and they know no different. I couldn’t allow her to strike down a precious Nephilim.”

Cas is looking and feeling and smelling guilty.

“You did good Cas. You did what you had to do.”

Cas nods. He looks up at Sissy, what little he can see of her with Sam’s huge form standing there, and sees she has stopped shaking.

Benny is still crouched by the dead angel. “How do we handle the body Cas? I don’t have much experience dealing with dead angels.”

It drew Dean’s attention and that’s when he notices for the first time there is a blade clutched tightly in her left hand. “Grab that blade.” He tells his friend.

Benny gets it from her hand with some effort. He then stands up and takes some steps back from the body.

“I’ll handle the body.” Cas says matter-of-factly, however, his concerned eyes do not leave where Sam is still holding Sissy in a tight embrace. “Dean, this is what I was afraid of. We need to go and not stop again if it can be helped.”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea.” Dean agrees.

“Can you take her out Sam? I need to take my sister to heaven to be taken care of properly.”

“Absolutely Cas. Come on Sissy. I’m sure Miranda and Summer want to see that you’re alright.”

“Do not let them out of your sight for one second while I’m away Dean. Please.” Cas says. There is deep pleading in his eyes as he crouches next to her.

“I won’t Cas.” Cas nods, reaches down, and then he and the deceased angel are gone. Dean heads outside. Benny had walked out right behind Sam. Benny jogged ahead and is helping Miranda out the back of his truck and then all three girls are in a group hug. Dean explains to Chuck and Charlie what happened. They agree they don’t need to hang around and they need to head back and get to the bunker ASAP. Sam and Dean load the ladies back in the car once they’re able to separate…because no one was willing to break up the needed comfort of the moment…and gently get them in the backseat where they head out. Cas will join them and ‘poof’ into Benny’s truck when he’s done. Benny hates that, but in this instance it’s necessary and he’s at least expecting it. Still he jumps a little when there is a flutter and Cas is sitting next to him when they’re about thirty minutes down the road.

“My apologies. There isn’t a way to warn ahead of time.” Cas tells him, but he’s looking at the car straight ahead of them.

“It’s fine feathers.” That’s a nickname Cas never gets used to, but he doesn’t comment this time. “They’re alright. Sam called to see if you’d gotten back yet a few minutes ago. He said they’re being quiet, but they don’t smell stressed.”

“Good. Maybe they’ll sleep soon and sleep most of the way.”

“That was a pretty good startle she got. Sleep is probably the last thing on her mind. “Benny points out.

“I can help with that.”

“I’m not sure that Dean or Sam would appreciate you doing that angel knock out thing they’ve told me about to any of those girls.”

Cas cuts his eyes over to Benny. “It is not their decision.”

This gets Benny cocking his head. “And it’s yours? Shouldn’t it be theirs?”

“They don’t always know what is in their best interest.”

“So it’s your decision to make? Listen feathers, they are grown adults in the eyes of all of us around them except for you. They can make their own decisions. You can’t just make the choices for them. You can’t just decide what’s best from an angel perspective…”

“They aren’t human. You aren’t even human. None of us are human here and you are applying human ideologies to a situation with no humans in it.”

Benny shakes his head. “They are closer to human than any of the rest of us, right?” Cas doesn’t answer and turns his head away from the big vampire/werewolf hybrid. “Right? They can be killed much easier than any of us. They don’t have strength over what an average human has or speed?” Reluctantly Castiel nods. “Then human ideologies still apply to them until something changes. You can’t treat them as babies. They are not babies. If they were up in heaven, maybe…but here you can’t.”

“It’s instinctual. It’s instinctual for a reason.”

“So that you want to protect them, teach them, and nurture them. That’s why it’s an instinct. It’s fine to protect them Cas and to nurture whatever it is you need to nurture and teach them about themselves. You can do that without babying them. From what I’ve seen of them, they won’t appreciate that treatment.”

Cas drops his eyes. The side of him that was human…that experienced what it was like to be human and vulnerable…knows what Benny is telling him is right. It’s difficult to fight the instinct that makes him want to extend his wings, which can’t be seen except in shadow on this plain, and wrap them in them and block out the rest of the world. To keep his arms around them. To feed their grace with his own continually. To keep them fed, warm, and happy. If they had known what they were from the start and had an angel as they were supposed to each have it wouldn’t be a problem. It’s just what they would have known. They didn’t know what they were. Not until today. Cas has no doubt they are still wrapping their heads around that. Sissy who had previously known nothing of the things out in the night is still trying to process that things such as werewolves and vampires exist much less Nephilim and that she and her friends are in fact part angel and that the fate of the angels’ continued existence could very well lay on their shoulders…which he had not wanted to tell them right now because that is in the far future yet as far as they are concerned.

That just made him think of the way that he scared them with his dominance display. Dean pulling his alpha out didn’t help matters, but it was ultimately himself that caused the fear response and not Dean.

“What’s wrong with you now?” Benny asks bringing Cas out of his thoughts.

Cas looks over at him, but then away quickly. Benny is focusing on the road anyway so if he saw Cas look at him it was peripheral vision. “Nothing.”

Benny chuckles. “You can’t lie. I smell guilt.”

“I scared them when Dean pushed me…”

“I think they can forgive you. You did just save one of their lives.”

“Still, it’s inexcusable. I knew that a display of dominance would cause a fear reaction from them. It’s designed that way. The grace they have inside them responds to what other angels do.”

“This may come as a shock to you feathers, but you aren’t perfect.” Benny drawls out to him.

“I am aware I am far from perfect. If anyone has screwed up more often than the Winchesters it would be myself. I have done what I could to correct my wrongs as have they.”

“I’m not blaming you for anything. You’re expecting perfection out of yourself and you aren’t perfect. If you’re looking at this from a parental perspective, parents screw up buddy. I know that from personal experience.”

Cas lets that sink in through the rest of the drive. He is careful to keep his emotions stable so he doesn’t give off any tell tale scents. He’s quiet. He watches the car in front of them and there isn’t much movement in the backseat that he can see. Cas can see Sam and Dean’s heads move and they are gesturing as though talking. Whether to each other or to one or more of the girls he can’t tell. He’d like to find out, but he also wants to keep an eye around them. The drive, which takes a long while, seems to not last long with things around him to keep his attention.

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

 

They pull directly into the garage. It’s locked up tight right after they get inside. The lights come up, but they’re still low. It doesn’t take Cas a second to be out of Benny’s truck and over to the so familiar Impala.

“How are…?”

“Shhh.” Dean and Sam hush him at the same time and then quietly Sam opens the back door on the passenger side.

Curious as to why the back door on the side he’s standing on wasn’t opened Cas peers inside to see that Miranda is leaning on the door sound asleep. Sissy is leaned over on her and then Summer is leaned over on Sissy. If Dean had opened that door the trio would have tumbled over.

“They haven’t been asleep long. We were going to try to get them to bed without waking them up.” Sam explains and he’s trying to figure out how to lift Summer without waking her. Then Sissy stirs which makes the other two stir and tired eyes blink at Sam who is leaning in with one hand propped on the seat. “Hey. Sorry. I was trying not to wake you.”

Summer rubs her eyes. “We…wherever we were going exactly?” She sits up and Sam crouches.

“Yeah. We’re in Lebanon, KS. This is where Dean and I live when we aren’t on a hunt. So I guess welcome to our home. This is the garage anyway.” Sam smiles.

They each sit up and rub at their eyes.

“I’m going to open this door.” Cas says so that Miranda doesn’t lean on it. When she nods he pulls it open. “May I help you out?” He offers his hand and she takes it with a sleepy smile.

“Thanks.” She says on a yawn.

“You’re welcome.” Cas responds with a little nod.

Dean rolls his eyes at the puppy eyes Cas is displaying in full force that he learned from Sam. “So we have a lot of rooms here. The only ones occupied regularly are mine, Sam’s, and Kevin’s. Charlie changes rooms every time she stays here I think. Benny usually insists on the couch. You may have noticed that Cas doesn’t sleep. He spends the hours the rest of us sleep in the library or roaming around in the artifacts when he stays and isn’t in heaven.” Dean is explaining as he goes around to the trunk and starts getting bags. Summer, Sissy, and Miranda are walking around back to get theirs. “Nope. We got these. You three are exhausted.”

“We haven’t even done anything.” Sissy says, but she yawns.

“Growing that grace within yourselves, especially without an angel to nurture it, taxes your bodies. You do not have to physically exert yourselves to feel drained.” Cas explains.

“Not to mention what you have been through.” Benny throws in taking a bag as well with his own thrown over his back.

One of the bags that Sam picks up clanks. Summer raises her eyebrow.

“Weapons.” Sam explains. “They need to be cleaned and checked and all that fun stuff. I can show you later after you’ve recharged if you’d like.”

All three girls nod.

“The rooms are basic, but we can fix them how you like as you’re here. Gray walls, gray covers, gray floors…just gray. We can set you up in rooms right next door to each other for now, but if you’d like to share we can set that up too. For tonight you’ll be next door to each other though.”

“That’s fine.” Miranda yawns. “I’d just like to wash my face, brush my teeth, find some pajamas, and lay down.”

Cas’ brows knit together. “You haven’t had dinner…”

“Too tired Cas.” Summer says beginning to follow Dean inside the main part of the bunker.

“Eating is essential to developing your grace and keeping yourself healthy. What about something simple? Soup? I’m proficient in heating up soup.”

Benny chuckles. “Sam, do you have a stocked kitchen here?”

“Uh. Yeah. We just restocked it before we left to be sure Kevin was covered and there is no way he ate that much. Why?”

“I’m going to make dinner. I don’t do the canned stuff.” He tells Cas and then heads inside to find the kitchen.

“A vampire that cooks?” Sissy asks Sam.

Sam huffs a laugh out. “Yeah. Dean said he used to be a cook before he was turned into a vamp. Apparently a really good one. Worked in New Orleans.”

“Ah…the accent.” Miranda says following along behind Sam and Sissy. Summer is lingering back with Charlie and Chuck who have been oddly quiet. Well, not quiet exactly, but have been speaking quietly with each other looking at a tablet.

They get inside and go down a long set of stairs and make a left. Sam drops the weapons bag at a big table and then he continues on toward what they assume is the kitchen possibly where Dean backs out quickly and has an angel blade drawn.

“Sam keep them back!” Dean says loudly, but not too loudly.

Sam’s arms automatically go out to his sides and he gently pushes both girls behind him. Summer hasn’t come out of the garage yet. “What’s wrong?”

Cas’ angel blade drops from his sleeve. Dean continues to back up, but stops well short of them keeping himself between Sam, the girls, and…something… Sam watches and a short, very familiar looking form walks out of the kitchen wiping his hands on a dish towel and an apron around his waist with all manner of mess on it.

“Gabriel?” Cas asks sounding very confused.

“Hey there Cassie. You’re looking better.” The short man responds with that very familiar mischievous twinkle in his eye. His eyes wander and then land on Sissy and then Miranda who are peeking out from behind Sam’s massive form. He smiles at them. “Well hello there. Aren’t you two cute.”


End file.
